Week one

The first week of 2021 has passed and, while it started quietly on the MW band, the scene has absolutely flourished during the last couple of days, with Dutch pirates clamouring to get on air to take advantage of some hugely decent propagation conditions. Here is what I've heard:

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Thursday, January 7, 2021

1638 1259 Casablanca (Twente) weak signal-25322 (m)

1632 1345 Noordzee 25442 (q)

1645 1351 Casablanca (Twente) weak signal (q)

1636 1405 De Klok? weak signal-25322 (q)

1646 1407 Baanbreker weak signal-25322 (q)

1629 1413 Kaaiman 35333 (q)

1645 1417 Noordzee 25442-35443 (q)

1629 1425 Zwarte Man 35333 (m)

1655 1520 Kamelenboer 45444 (m)

1647 1628 Valencia 34443 (q)

1655 1628 Digitaal 55444 (q)

1670 1630 Horizon 25222-35333 (m)

1645 1643 Boomerang 55444-55555 (t)

1629 1658 Schaduwjager 55444-55555 (q)

1642 1702 Boomerang 55444-55555 (q)

1655 1719 Belladonna 34443-45444 (m)

1647 1736 Arizona 24332-35333 (m)

1648 1806 Pereboom 43443 (r)

1625 1813 Pandora 55444-55555 (m)

1620 1822 Pecon 43443-44444 (q)

1638 1826 Pontiac 55444-55555 (m)

1648 1831 Dageraad 34333-44444 (m)

1646 1900 Baanbreker 35443 (q)

1638 1926 Admiraal 45434 (t)

1625 1939 Turftrekker 55444-55555 (m)

1640 2008 Lotus 55444 (q)

1665 2013 Kristal 45444 (r)

1632 2017 Monza 45444 (q)

1655 2020 Columbia 55444 (q)

1632 2024 Admiraal 44444 (q)

1640 2313 Casablanca 55444-55555 (m)

(m) = station was broadcasting a music programme
(q) = station was qsoing
(r) = station asking for a reception report from another station
(t) = station was testing

A look at some of the radios inside the new radio room

Observations

• Marvellous conditions on the band again today, which allowed stations to be heard from around midday here in England. There were various Dutch pirates testing at that time - one on 1611 kHz and another on 1646 kHz - but the first station to identify themselves was Casablanca from Twente on 1638 kHz.

• By the end of the day I had heard some 27 different pirates - making it 49 stations within two days - and with some mighty signals. The likes of Pontiac, Boomerang, Schaduwjager, Turftrekker, Pandora and Casablanca are always very strong here, but all of them reached the magic maximum sinpo of 55555 during their broadcasts today. Other stations that came close to perfect reception were Columbia and Kamelenboer, while Kristal, Monza, Admiraal and Lotus were very strong.

• And some other stations were coming through much better than usual. The signals I heard from Arizona and Belladonna, for example, were the best I have received from them.

• A very low noise level at this location has added extra emphasis to the excellent propagation conditions recently, and now all the Christmas lights have been put away for another year, I hope the local interference stays low. Long may these wonderful days of listening last.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

1629 1314 Dolfijn 25332-35443 (m)

1656 1316 Arizona weak signal (m)

1620 1322 Non-stop music 35443-45444 (t)

1633 1349 Polka Express 25432 (q)

1655 1412 Zwarte Ridder 35443 (m)

1636 1417 Twentana 35443-45444 (m)

1616 1424 Alpenjager 35443 (q)

1620 1438 Eigen Risico 25332-45444 (m)

1645 1448 Skywire 25332-35333 (m)

1629 1502 Valencia 25332 (q)

1673 1504 Concorde 25322 (m)

1644 1546 Moscou 25332-35333 (q)

1638 1552 Osaka 25222 (q)

1632 1700 Vendor 34333-35443 (m)

1685 1715 Digitaal 55444 (m)

1624 1717 Batavier 35443 (m)

1614 1741 Zwarte Boekanier 35433-45444 (r)

1645 1800 Avia 34443 (m)

1695 1804 Telefunken 35433 (r)

1625 1814 Zwarte Boekanier 44444 (r)

1611 1830 Eldorado 45444 (m)

1620 1832 Turijn 34433-45444 (m)

1638 2017 Boogschutter 24222-34333 (m)

1625 2018 Delfzijl 54444-55555 (m)

1662 2021 Josje Power 45444 (m)

1647 2034 Armada 45434 (m)

1611 2041 Utopia 44444 (m)

1625 2238 Pandora 55444-55555 (m)

Observations

• A fascinating day and extremely busy day on the band with signals arriving - and with a decent strength - from just after 1pm local time and 12 stations identified in less than three hours. Good to catch low-power Arizona again, while it was the first time in many months I had heard Valencia and Moscou. Concorde was doing well with just 50 watts, also.

• There was no identification from the station with non-stop music on 1620 kHz from 1.22pm local time, but his signal was incredibly good, especially considering it was several hours before sunset and propagation not ideal for reception on MW from the Netherlands here in England.

• Interesting to hear Telefunken (RTI) on 1695 kHz calling for a qso with any Balkan pirates. There were plenty of stations from the east of Europe coming through very well both here and in the Netherlands.

• Turijn was a new catch for me. He had some superb peaks on his signal during a very busy time around his frequency of 1620 kHz.

• Delfzijl was heard for the first time, putting out a cracking signal on 1625 kHz. I understand he is 70 years ago and was active on the band many years ago. He is a technician whose interests lie in transmitter building. Hopefully he takes to the air again with more of his own music programmes.

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

1625 0040 Pandora 45444 (m)

1617 2014 Marianne 45444 (m)

1670 2016 Technical Man 55444 (m)

1685 2023 Digitaal 55444 (m)

1647 2055 Turfsteker 35443 (t)

1655 2310 Snowman 34333 (t)

Sunday, January 3, 2021

1655 1657 Belladonna 25322 (m)

1636 1714 Mi Amigo 24322-34333 (m)

1633 1741 Batavier 25222-35333 (m)

1685 1759 Digitaal 35333-45444 (m)

1670 1806 Matrix 25322-35333 (q)

1661 1815 Oldtimer 35333 (m)

1620 1915 Atlantic 35333-45444 (m)

1646 2011 Eigen Risico 25222-35333 (m)

Saturday, January 2, 2021

1660 1627 Digitaal 35333 (m)

1650 1647 Rode Ster 45444 (q)

1660 1653 Concorde 35343 (q)

1665 1740 Arizona weak signal (m)

1627 1741 Vendor 24332 (m)

1648 1915 Keizer en Keizerin 35333 (m) 

1638 2223 Bluebird 45434 (m)

1663 2223 Digitaal 35443 (q)

Friday, January 1, 2021

1660 1644 Belladonna 25332, 35443 at 1750 (m)

1673 1644 Concorde weak signal, 25332 at 1753 (m)

1620 1649 Uniek 25332, 35333 at 1753 (m) 

1633 1725 Schaduwjager 55444 (m)

1638 1746 Ros Am 55444 (m)

1655 1746 Telefunken 25332 (m)

1629 1808 Scotland 35443 (q)

1629 1818 Wegpiraat 25222-35333 (q)

1633 2238 Mi Amigo 34333-44444 (t)

Thursday, December 31, 2020

1625 1615 Barones 45444-55555 (m)

1636 1615 Twee Gebroeders 35443-45444 (m)

1670 1616 Viking en Tante Foeke 25232-35333 (m)

1611 1620 Veluwse Ster? 44444 (m)

1615 1742 Derde Man 33443-44444 (m)

1655 1830 Oliebollenbakkers (m)

1657 1840 Oldtimer 35333-45444 (m)

1631 1958 Doktor Bloe 34333 (q)

1633 2003 Nimmerzorg 34433 (q)

1645 2100 Vossenjager 25332-35333 (m)

1636 2107 Jeneverstoker 23322 

1620 2119 Vliegende Hollander 34333 (m) 

1655 2248 Turfsteker 35443 (m)

1641 0029 Jan Tabak (m)

1648 0125 Pereboom 35333-45444 (m)